tress so dismissed shall be entitled to payment for his or her services until such dismission. And the said committees are furthermore empowered and required, on application made to them by any master or mistress of any school in their respective towns, or by any inhabitant of any school district therein, at their discretion, to order the expulsion of any scholar from any school in their respective towns, who will not obey and submit to the necessary and reasonable rules, orders and regulations of said school."

"That it shall be the duty of the said superintending committees of the several towns in the state, to direct and determine the class books to be used in the respective classes in the several towns to which they belong; and the scholars attending such schools shall be supplied by their parents, masters, or guardians, with the books so prescribed by said committees. And if any parent, guardian, or master shall, after notice given him or her, by the master or mistress of any such school, refuse or neglect for the space of eight days, to furnish their several scholars with the books so prescribed for their respective classes, the selectmen of the town, on being notified by said master or mistress, shall forthwith furnish the same for such scholars, at the expense of the town. And the said selectmen or their successors in office shall add the amount of the books so furnished to the next annual tax of the parents, masters, or guardians, who ought to have furnished the same; and the amount so added shall be levied, collected and paid into the town treasury, in the same manner as other town taxes: Provided, however, that in case such selectmen shall be of opinion that any such parent, master, or guardian is not able and cannot afford to pay the whole expense of the books so furnished on his or her account, such parent, guardian, or master shall be exonerated from the payment of the whole or any part of such expense, and the said selectmen shall omit to add the amount of such books, or shall add only a part thereof to the annual tax of such parent, master, or guardian, according to the proportion of such expense which such parent, master, or guardian shall in their opinion be able to pay: Provided, nevertheless, that in cases when children are already supplied with books, which shall not be considered by said superintending

committee extremely faulty in comparison with others which might be used, and which may be possessed in such numbers in any school as to admit of the proper and convenient classification of such school, in that case said committee shall not direct the purchase of new books, without first obtaining the consent of the parents, masters, or guardians of a majority of the children so already provided for, until the expiration of two years from the passing of this act: Provided, also, that said committee shall never direct any school books to be purchased or used in any of the schools under their superintendence, which are calculated to favor any particular religious sect or tenet. And it shall also be the duty of the superintending committees in the several towns in this state, to present a written report to their respective towns, at their annual meetings in the month of March in each year, stating the number of months public schools have been kept in each district in said towns, and what portion thereof has been kept by male, and what by female teachers; the whole number of scholars that have attended each school; the progress made in the various branches of learning in each school; the number of children between the ages of four years and fourteen years in each district, that have not attended the schools therein; and the number of persons if any in each district, between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one years, who cannot read and write."

"That there shall be chosen at the annual meeting, in the month of March, in each of the towns in this state, a district committee, consisting of one person, for each school district, who shall be a resident in the district for which he shall be chosen, and be called the prudential committee thereof; whose duty it shall be to select and contract with the teachers, for his district, to provide for their board, to furnish the necessary fuel for the school, and immediately on the commencement of any such school in his district, to give information thereof to the superintending committee of the town. And it shall also be the duty of the prudential committee, in each district, to give such information and assistance to the superiotending committee as may be necessary to aid them in the discharge of the duties required of them by this act.

Provided, that in any town in this state, which shall at any legal meeting, holden for that purpose, so determine, the said prudential committee may be chosen in the sev eral school districts to which they respectively belong, in such manner as said district may decide,"

"That no person shall be employed, as a school master, in any of the schools aforesaid, unless he shall be a citizen of the United States, and shall produce a certificate from the superintending school committee of the town where such school is to be kept, and also, from some person of liberal education, literary pursuits, and good moral character, that he is well qualified to instruct youth in the various sounds and powers of the letters in the English language, reading, writing, English grammar, arithmetick, geography, and such other branches of education, as may be proper to be taught in an English school; and also a certificate from the selectmen of the town to which he belongs, in case there be any, otherwise from three of the most reputable inhabitants thereof, that to the best of their knowledge, he is a person of sober life and conversation, and of good moral character. And no person shall be employed as a school mistress, unless she shall produce a certificate from the superintending school committee of the town where the school is to be kept, that she is suitably qualified to teach the English language grammatically, and the rudiments of arithmetick and geography, and produce satisfactory evidence of her good moral character. And no person, who shall teach any school required by this act, without producing to the district committee of the district in which said school is kept, prior to his or her commencing the same, the certificates required by this act, shall have or receive any thing for his or her services, but shall be forever barred from recovering the same."

"That it shall be the duty of the presidents, professors and tutors of colleges, and the preceptors and teachers of academies, and all other instructors of youth to take diligent care, and use their best endeavors, to impress on the minds of children and youth committed to their care and instruction, the principles of piety and justice, and a sacred regard to truth, love of their coun

try, humanity and benevolence; sobriety, industry and frugality; chastity, moderation and temperance; and all other virtues which are the ornaments of human society. And it shall be the duty of such instructors, to endeavor to lead those under their care into a particular understanding of the tendency of the before mentioned virtues to preserve and perfect a republican form of government, and to secure the blessing of liberty, as well as to promote their future happiness; and the tendency of the opposite vices to slavery and ruin."

"That the superintending committees aforesaid shall receive from their respective towns a reasonable compensation for their services performed in pursuance of this act."

FORM NO. I.

Form of the dismission of a school master who is found incapable.

To Mr. A. B. a school master now employed in district No. 1, in the town of Concord, in the county of Merrimack.

THE undersigned, the superintending school committee of the said town, having visited and inspected the school under your care, and inquired into the regulations and discipline thereof, and the proficiency of the scholars therein, have with much concern come to the conclusion, that you have not as a teacher the qualifications which the wants of the said school demand. You will therefore take notice that from and after the day when this shall be delivered to you, your employment in the said school is to cease.

M. N.

FORM NO. II.

Form of a certificate to be given by selectmen as to the character of instructors.

To all whom it may concern.

THIS certifies, that Mr. A. B. of this town, is to the best of our knowledge a person of sober life and conversation, and of good moral character.

M. W.

Selectmen

Form of a certificate to be given by the superintending school committee, and by some person of liberal education, as to the qualifications of instructors.

To all whom it may concern.

THIS certifies, that we have this day made due inquiries, and are of opinion that Mr. C. D. who proposes to teach a school in the town of Concord, is well qualified to instruct youth in the various sounds and powers of the letters in the English language, reading, writing, English grammar, arithmetick, geography, and such other branches of education as may be proper to be taught in an English school.

Given under our hands, this day of A. D. 1828.
M. O. Superintending

P. Q.school committee of
B. Š.

Concord.